Warren Easton Summer League Scouting Reports, Session VII, Part II (Video)
Warren Easton’s Summer League schedule came to an end earlier this week and the established upperclassmen did what they do best while new faces took the first steps toward making a name for themselves.
Here’s a look at the scores from Session VII and in Part II we’ll take a look at the top performers in matchups between Riverside and St. Augustine, Riverside and Warren Easton and Hahnville and Newman.
Riverside 61, St. Augustine 43
Riverside 52, Warren Easton 32
Hahnville 49, Newman 45
Sophie B. Wright 62, Landry-Walker 55
Sophie B. Wright 50, Helen Cox 31
Click here to see the top performers from Session VII, Part I, which focuses on the remaining matchups between Sophie B. Wright and Landry-Walker, and Sophie B. Wright vs. Helen Cox.
Riverside
Isaiah Bigham — 6’1” 2019 PG/SG
Bigham is beginning to get very comfortable in his role as the leader and go-to scorer for Riverside after the departure of Alabama signee Jared Butler. Bigham was on fire for much of Monday’s games against St. Augustine and Warren Easton, and scored off the dribble at will as a shooter. His speed also allows him to get ahead of the defense for easy finishes in transition and he’s sure to have a big year for the Rebels this upcoming year.
Kash Foley — 5’11” 2019 PG/SG
Foley will be option 1A right next to Bigham and he filled that role well on Monday scoring at an efficient rate. He’s best when he gets going from the 3-point line in Riverside’s high-octane offense under Timmy Byrd and he’s an underrated athlete with Division I offers on the football field.
Gage Larvadain — 5’7” 2021 PG
Larvadain saw spot action as both an 8th-grader and freshman the past two seasons and this is the year he’ll see a major spike in his minutes. He’s a quick, speedy lefty who’s difficult for defenders to stay in front of, and does a good job hitting teammates in their shooting pockets for in-rhythm shots. Larvadain can also shoot from long range and has a nice, high floater in the lane that allows him to hit shots over bigger defenders.
Brian Walker — 6’3” 2019 SG
Walker sat out last season at Riverside after transferring from Sophie B. Wright and will be a welcome addition to the Rebels’ roster. He can really knock down the 3-ball at a high rate and will give Riverside another offensive threat on the perimeter to keep defenses on their heels.
St. Augustine
Jason Malbrue — 6’6” 2021 SF/PF
Malbrue is one of a few young Purple Knights with incredible size for their age. He played more in the paint on Tuesday using his height and length to score over smaller defenders at the rim, and also showed the ability to go up high and snatch rebounds while sending home a one-handed dunk off a pass from the wing.
Eric Williams — 6’6” 2021 SF/PF
Williams still has a long way to go but his measurables and skill set are certainly intriguing. He operates as a point-forward for the Purple Knights’ junior varsity team and is working to improve his ball handling and toughness in traffic. Williams is certainly a project at this stage but he could be an interesting prospect if he improves his strength and basketball I.Q.
Warren Easton
Darius Day — 6’1” PG/SG
Day in an interesting prospect who will likely be the top player for Warren Easton this upcoming season. He’s a smooth scorer who can shoot from deep and score off the dribble and has easily been the Eagles’ best player in both Easton’s and Crescent City’s Summer Leagues.
Troy Joseph — 6’7” PF/C
Joseph is a true big man that operates solely out of the paint. His strength and body control have improved over the last couple of seasons and he’s capable of scoring in the post when called upon. His rebounding and shot-blocking ability will be the most valuable assets he brings to the Eagles and he did both at a high level throughout the summer.
Justin Williams — 5’10” SG/PG
Williams isn’t a well-known prospect but he’s certainly one of the top shooters in the city. He was good for at least a couple of triples per game last season with Warren Easton and he’s deadly when he gets open looks from beyond the arc.
Hahnville
Kayden Pierre — 6’4” SF/PF
Pierre was a pleasant surprise who was a major factor for Hahnville. He got most of his buckets in the paint off of post moves where he showed great touch around the rim and also defended well and ran the floor in transition for easy shots. He has a good frame with long arms, and also had a big game in the Crescent City Summer League championship scoring over 20 points.
Dylan Lorio — 5’10” PG
Lorio wasn’t quite as efficient as usual on Monday but he can score in bunches despite his miniature size. He’s very quick off the dribble and can routinely get by his defender on the perimeter. His speed usually gives him enough separation to get off a good shot in the lane before help can arrive and he’s also very capable of knocking down shots behind the arc if given too much space to work with.
Briceson Harrell — 6’3” 2019 SG
Harrell is a very good shooter with good size. He also makes good, quick decisions and can attack the basket when players close out hard to prevent him from getting his shot off.
Claudell Harris Jr. — 5’10” PG/SG
Harris Jr. is a young guard with a scorer’s mentality. He was a bit over-aggressive at times on Monday but he can make plays and knock down shots when he really gets going.
Newman
Javon Ruffin — 6’5” 2021 SG/SF
Ruffin is one of the state’s top 2021 prospects and he showed as much on Monday as well throughout the entire summer league at Warren Easton. He has great size with a big, strong frame, and uses his body well to shield the ball from defenders to get in the lane. He’s also an exceptional rebounder at the guard spot but his best attribute is his ability to shoot from 3-point range both off the dribble and in catch-and-shoot situations. Ruffin isn’t necessarily an explosive athlete but he’s athletic enough to finish above the rim and has a lot of polish to his game at a young age.
Murray Calhoun — 6’1” 2019 PG
Calhoun will be Newman’s second option behind Ruffin this season and he saw a good amount of action last year as a junior. He’s a good, confident shooter from long range and a solid passer who can find cutters in Newman’s Princeton-style offense.